Agencies to Report on Biosolids-PFC Contamination Near Decatur, Ala.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a public availability session and meeting on Dec. 1, at the Moulton Recreation Center in Moulton, Ala., to share information with residents about the status of the investigation of
perflourochemical contamination from biosolids applied to agricultural fields near Decatur, Ala
.
Representatives from EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (AL A&I), and Public Health (ADPH), and Decatur Utilities will participate in the meeting, which is set to begin at 6 p.m.
EPA is coordinating with the federal and state agencies, Decatur Utilities Dry Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and local industries to address elevated levels of perflourochemicals found in treated sewage sludge (biosolids) in Decatur. For approximately the past 12 years, these biosolids were used as a soil amendment on about 5000 acres of privately owned agricultural fields in Lawrence, Morgan and Limestone counties.
In March 2009, EPA collected 30 additional soil samples from farm fields that received the highest application of biosolids. The final surface soil sample results indicated elevated levels of perfluoronated compounds in the soil that received the biosolids.